Salina group wants fluoride out of water

Water. Your mom said to drink it growing up, your coaches told you to drink it after practice, and your doctor says to drink plenty of it. But Salina Cares worries that its city’s water may actually be bad for people’s health.

“Right now, our focus is on keeping flouride out of the water supply for two reasons,” member John Boesen said. “One because its unsafe and ineffective and two because so much of it is wasted that it’s damaging the environment.”

The city of Salina has been fluoridating the water for 45 years, but members of Salina Cares wants them to stop. They believe it can have adverse health effects.

“When I’m at home I want to be able to swish and swallow when I drink water,” Boesen said.

Members of Salina Cares have been talking with the city commission about removing fluoride from the water. City manager Jason Gage says they plan on keeping it.

“At this point the city commission hasn’t expressed any interest in removing fluoride from the water system,” Gage said.

He says they look to national organizations like the American Dental Association and the Center For Disease Control and Prevention for guidance.

“The predominate opinion of main stream public safety agencies and the American Dental Association, is that fluoride is still safe, if provided at proper levels, and can actually have a good impact with regards to dental condition, particularly with children,” Gage said.

Gage points out that fluoride naturally occurs in the environment.

The city says it stays at proper levels, allowing just .7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water, but Salina Cares worries that isn’t good enough.